The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government

Royal Ordnance Plc

Jack W Comley

Norman T Brint

A riot control weapon comprises a barrel, a fixed breech block, and there-between a chamber having a loading aperture through which a cylindrical round of ammunition can be inserted and ejected, the round being insertable by firstly a translational movement to bring the forward end of the round into the chamber, and secondly a rotational movement during which the round is pivoted until the round is fully chambered in alignment with the barrel, and wherein the chamber is provided with an obturating surface which extends continuously from a point adjacent the forward end of the chamber adjacent the loading aperture, rearwardly and away from the loading aperture to complete a closed loop within a cylindrical surface internally of the chamber, whereby the said rotational movement brings the round into sealing contact with the obturating surface around a complete loop. In a preferred embodiment there is provided a stop adjacent the forward end of the chamber, the round coming into contact with the stop at the end of the said translational movement, and the stop acting as a pivotal point for the said rotational movement.

Obturation in a firearm

A riot weapon comprises a barrel; a fixed breech block; and therebetween a chamber having a loading aperture through which a round of ammunition can be inserted so as to rest against the breech block, or ejected; a loading catch for retaining a round of ammunition in the chamber; a trigger; a firing pin which can be actuated to fire a round of ammunition by moving the trigger, the firing pin having a normal rest position in the breech block; means for preventing release of the loading catch except when the firing pin is in the rest position; means for releasing the loading catch automatically following actuation of the trigger; and means for exerting a force on the round of ammunition in a direction such as to effect ejection thereof through the loading aperture; whereby following firing of a round of ammunition and consequent release of the loading catch, the spent round is retained in place against the ejecting force solely by the frictional force between the spent round and the breech block, the frictional force resulting solely from the residual pressure of gases generated by firing, which transiently load the spent round against the breech block.

Growing community of inventors

Cheshunt, United Kingdom

Jack W Comley